D A 0 8

- 0 2 5 4

I N T H E S U P R E M E C O U

R T O F T H E S T

A T E O F M O N T

A N A

2 0 0 9 M T 1 6 5 N

S T A T E O F M O N T

A N A

,

P l a i n t i f f a n d A p p e l l e e

,

v

.

M I C H A E L J A C K O

,

D e f e n d a n t a n d A

p p e l l a n t

.

APPEAL FROM: District Court of t he Fourteenth Judicial District,

I n a n d F o r t h e C o u

n t y o f M u s s e l s h e l l

, C a

u s e N o

. D C

- 2 0 0 7

- 0 2 8

H o n o r a b l e R a n d a l I

. S p a

u l d i n g

, P r e s i d i

n g J u d g e

C O U N S E L O F R E C O R D :

F o r A p p e l l a n t :

M i c h a e l J a c k o ( S e l f

- R e p r e s e n t e d )

, R o u n d u

p

, M o n t a n a

F o r A p p e l l e e :

S t e v e B u l l o c k

, M o n t a n a A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l

, T a m m y P l

u b e l l

, A s s i s t a n t

A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l

, H e l e n a

, M o n t a n a

K e n t M

. S i

p e

, M u s s e l s h e l l C o u n t y A t t o r n e y

, R o u n d u

p

, M o n t a n a

S u b m i t t e d o n B r i e f

s : A p r i l 2 9

, 2 0 0 9

D e c i d e d : M a y 1 3

, 2 0 0 9

F i l e d :

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ C l e r k May 13 20092

Justice James C. Nelson delivered the Opinion of the Court.

¶ 1 P u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n I

, P a r a g r a p h 3 ( d ) ( v

)

, M o n t a n a S u p r e m e C o u r t 1 9 9 6 I n t e r n a l

O p e r a t i n g R

u l e s

, a s a m e n d e d i n 2 0 0 3

, t h e f o l l o w i n g m e m o r a n d u m d e c i s i o n s h a l l n o t b e

c i t e d a s p r e c e d e n t

. I

t s h a l l b e f

i l e d a s a p u b l i c d o c

u m e n t w i t h t h e C l e r k o f t h e S u p r e m e

C o u r t a n d i t s c a s e t i t l e

, S u p r e m e C o u r t c a u s e n u m b e r a n d d i s p o s i t i o n s h a l l b e i n c l u d e d i n

t h i s C o u r t ' s q u a r t e r

l y l i s t o f n o n c i t a b l e c a s e s p u b l i s h e d i n t h e P a c i f i c R e p o r t er and

Montana Reports.

¶ 2 T h i s i s a n a p p e a l b y M i c h a e l J a c k o f r o m t h e P r e

- T r i a l O r d e r e n t e r e d b y t h e

D i s t r i c t C o u r t f

o r t h e F o u r

t e e n t h J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t

, M u s s e l s h e l l C o u n t y

, a l l o w i n g t h e S t a t e

to use previous testimony of a witness at trial, and from the Di strict Court’s Judgment

finding him g

uilty of the offense of Driving Under the Influence, f irst offense, a

misdemeanor, in violation of § 61

- 8

- 401, MCA. We affirm.

¶ 3 O n M a r c h 2 4

, 2 0 0 7

, D e p u t y W e n d y S h o r e s o f t h e M u s s e l s h e l l C o u n t y S h e r i f

f ’ s

O f f i c e w a s o n p a t r o l w

h e n s h e r e c e i v

e d i n f o r m a t i o n f

r o m a n o t h e r d e p u t y a b o u t a p o s s i b l e

d r u n k d r i v e r

. A c o n c e r n e d c i t i z e n h a d r e p o r t e d t

h a t t h e r e w a s a n i n t o x i c a t e d i n d i v i d u a l

i n a m o t o r v

e h i c l e o n M a i n S t r e e t i n R o u n d u p w h o m t h e c i t i z e n f

e a r e d w a s g

e t t i n g r e a d y

t o d r i v e o f f

. A f t e r o b t a i n i n g a d e s c r i p t i o n

, D e p u t y S h o r e s d r o v

e t o M a i n S t r e e t t o l o o k

for the vehicle. She found the green Ford Explorer parked on the side of the street.

¶ 4 A s D e p u t y S h o r e s a p p r o a c h e d t h e v e h i c l e

, s h e n o t i c e d t

h a t t h e e n g i n e w a s r u n n i n g

a n d t h a t a m a n w a s s l u m

p e d o v e r t h e s t e e r i n g w

h e e l

. D e p u t y S h o r e s k

n o c k e d r e p e a t e d l y

o n t h e v e h i c l e ’ s w i n d o w t o g

e t t h e m a n ’ s a t t e n t i o n

. T h e m a n

, w h o w a s l a t e r i d e n t i f

i e d a s

J a c k o

, f i n a l l y a c k n o w l e d g e d D e p u t y S h o r e s a n d e i t h e r r o l l e d d o w n h i s w i n d o w o r o p e n e d3

th e door. Deputy Shores observed that Jacko’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and there

was a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. In addition, when she asked

for Jacko’s drivers’ license, Deputy Shores noticed that he had difficulty with dexterity.

¶ 5 Jacko repeatedly informed Deputy Shores that he did not intend to drive

anywhere. However, Deputy Shores explained to him that he was in actual physical

control of the vehicle because he was the only person in it, he was sitting in the driver’ s

seat, and the engine was running.

¶ 6 D e p u t y S h o r e s r e q u e s t e d t h a t J a c k o e x i t t h e v e h i c l e t o p e r f

o r m s o m e f

i e l d s o b r i e t y

t e s t s

, h o w e v

e r

, s h e w a s o n l y a b l e t o c o n d u c t o n e t e s t

. W h e n s h e p r o c e e d e d t o t

h e w a l k

and

- turn test, Jacko’s balance was so poor that he staggered toward oncoming traffic.

D e p u t y S h o r e s t r a

n s p o r t e d J a c k o t o t h e M u s s e l s h e l l C o u n t y S h e r i f

f ’ s O f f i c e w h e r e s h e

a d m i n i s t e r e d t h e s o b r i e t y t e s t s

. S h e a l s o r e q u e s t e d t h a t J a c k o s u b m

i t t o a b r e a

t h t e s t

, b u t

he refused.

¶ 7 A J

u s t i c e C o u r t j u r y c o n v

i c t e d J a c k o o f D U I o n A u g u s t 2

, 2 0 0 7

. J a c k o a p p e a l e d

t o t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t

. A t t h e M a r c h 4

, 2 0 0 8 p r e t r i a l c o n f e r e n c e

, J a c k o i n f

o r m e d t h e c o u r t

that he waived his right to a trial by jury in favor of a bench trial.

¶ 8 Prior to trial, the State filed a “ Notic e of Intent to Introduce Transcript of Wendy

Shores Testimony ” wherein the State expressed its intent to introduce a transcript of

Deputy Shores ’ testimony from the hearing on the revocation o f J a c k o ’ s l i c e n s e

. A t a

h e a r i n g o n t h e m a t t e r

, t h e S t a t e e x p l a i n e d t h a t D e p u t y S h o r e s w a s e m p l o y e d a s a c i v i l i a n

c o n t r a c t o r i n I

r a q a n d w a s n o t s u b

j e c t t o t h e c o u r t ’ s s u b p o e

n a p o w e r

, t

h u s s h e w a s

u n a v a i l a b l e t o t e s t i f

y

. J a c k o o b

j e c t e d a r g u i n g t h a t i f h e w a s n o t a l l o w e d t o c r o s s

- e x a m i n e4

D e p u t y S h o r e s a t t

h e b e n c h t r i a l

, h i s r i g

h t t o c o n f

r o n t w i t n e s s e s w o u l d b e v

i o l a t e d

. H e

m a i n t a i n e d t

h a t t h e p u r

p o s e o f t h e l i c e n s e r e v

o c a t i o n p r o c e e d i n g w a s t o o r e m o v e d f r o m

the purp ose of the bench trial to allow the transcribed testimony. Jacko further argued

that the State could ha ve taken Deputy Shores’ deposition before she moved to Iraq, but

failed to do so.

¶ 9 T h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t d e t e r m i n e d t h a t D e p u t y S h o r e s w a s u n a v

a i l a b l e a n d t h a

t t h e

r e q u i r e m e n t s o f M

. R

. E v i d

. 8 0 4 ( b ) ( 1 ) h a d b e e n m e t s i n c e D e p u t y S h o r e s w a s u n d e r o a t h

and subjec t to cross

- examination by the defense when she testified at Jacko’s license

revocation hearing . Thus, the court admitted the transcript of Deputy Shores ’ former

testimony. After the court’s ruling, Jacko entered a no

- contest plea to the DUI charge,

reser ving his right to appeal the court’s ruling on th e a d m i s s i b i l i t y o f S h o r e s ’ t e s t i m o n y

.

T h e c o u r t s e n

t e n c e d h i m t o s i x m o n t h s i n j a i l w i t h a l l b u t o n e d a y s u s p e n d e d

, a n d

i m p o s e d a f i n e o f $ 6 0 0 a l o n g w i t h c o u r t c o s t s a n d f

e e s . Jacko appealed.

¶ 1 0 Having review e d t h e r e c o r d

, t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ’ s d e c i s i o n a n d t h e p a r t i e s ’

a r g u m e n t s o n a p p e a l

, w e h a v e d e t e r m i n e d t o d e c i d e t h i s c a s e p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n I

,

P a r a g r a p h 3 ( d ) o f o u r 1 9 9 6 I n t e r n a l O p e r a t i n g R

u l e s

, a s a m e n d e d i n 2 0 0 3

, w h i c h

p r o v i d e s f o r m e m o r a n d u m o p i n i o n s

.

¶ 1 1 F o r m e r t e s t i m o n y i s a r e c o g n i z e d e x c e p t i o n t o t h e h e a r s a y r u l e

. C i t y o f H a m i l t o n

v

. M a v r o s , 284 Mont. 46, 50, 943 P.2d 963, 966 (1997) (citing M. R. Evid. 804(b) (1)).

“ T h e r a t i o n a l e b e h i n d t h e e x c e p t i o n i s t h a t t h e r e i s a g

u a r a n t e e o f t r

u s t w o r t h i n e s s a t t

h e

t i m e t h e t e s t i m o n y i s g i v e n

, n a m e l y

, t h e w i t n e s s i s u n d e r o a t h a n d s u b j e c t t o c r o s s

-5

e x a m i n a t i o n

. ” H

a m i l t o n

, 2 8 4 M o n

t

. a t 5 0

, 9 4 3 P

. 2 d a t 9 6 6 ( c i t i n g S t a t e v

. B o u l d i n , 153

Mont. 276, 282, 456 P.2d 830, 833 (1969)).

¶ 1 2 H e r e

, J a c k o c o n c e d e d t h a t D e p u t y S h o r e s w a s u n a v a i l a b l e t o t e s t i f

y

. H o w e v e r

, h e

h a s o f f e r e d n o l e g i t i m a t e r e a s o n w h y h i s q u e s t i o n i n g o f D e p u t y S h o r e s a t t h e l i c e n s e

r e v o c a t i o n p r

o c e e d i n g w a s i n a d e q u a t e f o r t h e p u r

p o s e s o f h i s D U I b e n c h t r i a l

. A s t h e

S t a t e p o i n t s o u

t i n i t s b r i e f o n a

p p e a l

, i f D e p u t y S h o r e s w e r e a v a i l a b l e t o t e s t i f

y a t t r i a l

,

she would have relayed the very same facts to the court as she did in the license

r e v o c a t i o n p r

o c e e d i n g

, i n c l u d i n g t h e i n f o r m a t i o n s h e r e c e i v

e d a b o u t J a c k o ’ s v

e h i c l e

d e s c r i p t i o n

, w

h a t s h e d i d w i t h t

h e i n f o r m a t i o n

, w

h a t h a p p e n e d w

h e n s h e a p p r

o a c h e d

J a c k o ’ s v

e h i c l e

, h e r o b s e r v

a t i o n s o f J a c k o ’ s c o n d i t i o n

, J a c k o ’ s r e s p o n s e s

, J a c k o ’ s

p e r f o r m a n c e o n t h e f

i e l d s o b r i e t y t e s t s

, a n d h e r d e c i s i o n t o a r r e s t h i m

.

¶ 1 3 I t i s m a n i f e s t o n t h e f

a c e o f t h e b r i e f

s a n d t h e r e c o r d b e f

o r e u s t h a t t

h i s a p p e a l i s

w i t h o u t m e r i t b e c a u s e t h e f i n d i n g s o f f

a c t a r e s u p p o r

t e d b y s u b s t a

n t i a l e v i d e n c e

, t h e l e g

a l

issues are clearly controlled by settled Montana law which the District Court correctly

interpreted, and the record supports the Di strict Court’ s conclusion that Deputy Shores ’

former testimony was admissible in Jacko’s DUI trial pursuant to M. R. Evid. 804(b)(1)

.

¶ 1 4 A f f i r m e d

.

/ S / J A M E S C

. N E L S O N

W e C o n c u r :

/ S / W

. W I L L I

A M L E A P H A R T

/ S / J O H N W A R N E R

/ S / J I M R I C E

/ S / B R I A N M O R R I S6